A Tory MP has criticised government interference in the search for the next chair of the BBC Trust.

Conor Burns, a member of John Whittingdale’s House of Commons culture select committee, was also critical of the government’s enthusiasm to appoint a woman to the job “simply because it’s a woman rather than go out and find the best person to do that job”.

Burns, who described the BBC as a “brilliant advertisement” to the world, said the corporation had been wrong to broadcast live pictures from the police search of Cliff Richard’s home but said it was “premature” to call director general Tony Hall to give evidence before MPs.

Hall will appear before the home affairs select committee, chaired by Keith Vaz.

Asked by BBC broadcaster Kirsty Wark whether the trust chair appointment had been massively interfered with by the government, Burns said: “Yes it is and I regret that.

“I do regret that the government seems to have decided to appoint a woman simply because it’s a woman rather than go out and find the best person in the marketplace to do that job. I regret that enormously.

“I also think the structure of the trust should be changed. The chairman should be brought back inside the building and much more closely aligned to the director general.”

Speaking afterwards, Burns said of the corporation’s controversial coverage of the raid on Cliff Richard’s home: “For the first time in broadcasting history the major news channel carried a raid of someone who had not been arrested or charged.

“I think it was extraordinary editorially to take a decision to broadcast a raid on a man’s house when he had not been charged or arrested. We haven’t asked the director general to appear before the culture, media and sport select committee.

“I think it is probably premature. I would like to wait until the end of the process and see what happens before we do anything like that.”

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